


A Sugary Surprise

by DanOfVulcan



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Birthday Cake, Birthday Fluff, Fluff, Gen, M/M, Tuckerreed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-02
Updated: 2016-09-02
Packaged: 2018-08-12 15:01:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7939015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanOfVulcan/pseuds/DanOfVulcan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the short turbolift ride, Malcolm entered the main egineering. There was only a skeleton crew this time of the night, and he wondered why Trip would be down here, way past his shift, if he weren't up to something.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Sugary Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> Since today is Malcolm Reed's birthday I decided to write a short fic on the subject. Wrote this in one sitting, so please be forgiving. I hope you guys do enjoy it, though!

Lieutenant Malcolm Reed was totally immersed in his work, his surroundings all but forgotten as he assembled a new piece of equipment, one that he hoped would improve the efficiency of the targeting scanners by 1.33%.

_It can be just enough to land another hit or two._

Just as he reached for another tool to finish the job, he was hit by this feeling, as if something ominous was about to happen. Quickly, he looked at the clock on the wall displaying, in bright red, the late hour of 22:43. Way past the end of his shift.

_Almost..._

Then the comm rang.

The raspy sound broke the silence and quietude of the Armory as gently as an elephant going through a china shop. Suddenly Malcolm Reed was hit with a realization, and reached for the comm on his work station.

"Lieutenant Reed?" The question came in the familiar voice.

"Reed here, Sir" Malcolm answered, his voice firm.

"Could you come down to Engineering, Malcolm?" There was no trace of anything but formatily in the Southerner's tone.

"I'm on my way, Commander" Reed answered ever so professionaly, and sighed as he turned the comm off.

_Brace yourself, Malcolm. It could be worse._

 

_***_

 

After the short turbolift ride, Malcolm entered the main egineering. There was only a skeleton crew this time of the night, and he wondered why Trip would be down here, way past his shift, if he weren't up to something.

_It could be he's working on a project. But, then again, given the date..._

There was a single crewwoman working in the main room, standing by a power coupling, and once she realized he was a senior officer she immediately came to attention.

"At ease," Malcolm said, and the crewwoman relaxed. "Where is Commander Tucker?" he inquired.

"He said he would be in his office, Sir," the brunette answered, holding a tool in her hands. "I haven't seen him for some time now, Sir." She added, shifiting as if uncomfortable, then continued. "I'd wager he's still in his office, Sir," and stood there.

"Thank you, crewman," Malcolm Reed answered ever so politely, and moved on to the door that gave access to the Chief Engineer's office, and braced himself.

 

***

 

The chime alerted Trip Tucker to the presence beyond his doorstep.

"Come in, Malcolm."

The door hissed open, and the Armory Officer crossed the threshold, looking ill at ease.

"Looking tense, Mal," Trip commented. "What's up?"

Malcolm shifted where he stood. "You needed to see me, Commander?"

Trip Tucker crossed the distance between them in a few strides, moved behind Malcolm, and placed both hands on his shoulders, gently guiding him towards the desk.

"You know, I was waiting to see if you'd act differently," Trip began as he pulled a chair for Malcolm to sit, "but then you never did. You woke up, never said a word. Then we had breakfast together, and not a word again," Trip continued as he moved about the room. "Not that I was expecting," - he produced a tray with a lid from a locker - "but I was hoping I'd pick up on something. A mannerism, I don't know..." he finished as he placed the tray on the desk.

"I forgot," Malcolm said, his tone of surrender and acceptance.

"No kidding!" the blonde added, mocklingly.

"I'm sorry, Trip."

"What for?"

"Forgetting," Malcolm looked Trip in the eye. "I know these things are important to you."

"But this ain't about me, Mal," Trip continue without skiping a beat. "Today is about you," the blonde offered, a huge smile across his face. "and I wanted to make a surprise, though I wasn't sure how to." His tone was now a bit defensive. "This is your first birthday since we got together, and I was hoping for something more spectacular..." At that Malcolm looked at his lover in shock.

"Oh, Mal..." the blonde began, barely holding back a laugh at his lover's expression. "I know damn well better than make you suffer through a big fat party."

The Englishman relaxed, and slouched back on his chair. "What, then?" he asked incredulously.

"Glad ya asked," the Southerner answered, taking the lid off the tray, revealing the contents.

"A cupcake?" The British accent oozed disbelief.

 "What?" Trip asked taking mock offence. "I thought it appropriate for you, Love. It's pineapple."

Malcolm picked up the cupcake, and examined it. It looked appetizing. "Good to know I'm worth the trouble of only a cupcake," he added jockingly, though he'd never admit the desert really did look delicious.

"Now, I think it is perfect," Trip said between a grin. "A pineapple cupcake for my English muffin," he added in a single breath.

Malcolm had been turning the cupcake around, inspecting it, and stopped immediately. "I'll have you know I'm no English muffin!" he protested.

Trip only laughed out loud. "Oh, Love..." The blonde got up from his chair and stood behind the seated, shorter man, bending over his shoulder, head resting against the Englishman's neck. "You're English, and you're my muffin," Trip offered lovingly, as he embraced his partner. "Therefore..."

"I'll have you know I could kill you with one hand whilst holding this cupcake with the other," Malcolm supplied, and Trip smiled.

"Sure, Love," the blonde uttered lovingly. "Now eat your cupcake."

Malcolm bit the sugary desert, his lover never letting go of him.

"Happy Birthday, Mal," Trip whispered gently into the other man's neck.

Malcolm Reed smiled, mouth full of pineapple cupcake, and thought of how lucky he was.

"Thank you, Love."

 

 

 

 


End file.
